The Greatest Virtue

If somebody were to ask you what your greatest virtue is, what would you say? A virtue is a habit of doing good, according to Thomas Aquinas. A virtue is something you are able to do because you have been graced by God. And being graced means being gifted. So another way of asking this question is: what is the greatest gift you have been given? You might immediately answer, “Love,” as St. Paul himself writes in his Letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:31 — 13:13). 

Now, love has many faces: patience, kindness, and compassion, to name a few.  But I would propose that the greatest expression of this gift—and the most difficult one to carry out—is forgiveness. The story of the prodigal son is really the story of a father prodigal in forgiveness for his children. This father speaks to us of our merciful God, always ready to forgive. And this story was Jesus’ answer to why he hung out with sinners.

During this season when we are preparing to renew our baptismal promises,  we would do well to examine how well we are living out the virtues given to us at baptism; we call them theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. In this season,  when we often turn to the sacrament of reconciliation to ask forgiveness from the Father who continues to reconcile the world to himself through Christ, it is also good to ask how are we doing as forgivers, as agents of reconciliation. 

Consider/Discuss

• Is there someone who needs your forgiveness? 
• Is there someone from whom you need to ask forgiveness? 

Responding to the Word

Loving Lord, when we look at the cross, we see the love of the Father embodied in your saving death for our salvation. Because of your death and resurrection, we are part of a new creation, reconciled to the Father. Make us your worthy ambassadors, able to embody your merciful love.